The five defining moments of the 49ers’ season

This is the opening for my Tuesday article on the five key moments of the 49ers’ season. The article will run in the Press Democrat newspaper, and I’m also posting it here.

David Akers raised his arms triumphantly at midfield and then doubled over, bowing his head to the ground.

Anthony Dixon picked him up and hoisted him into the air. Behold, David Akers! The 49ers dashed from the sideline to midfield to get to him. Jim Harbaugh got to him first, jumped over Dixon and slapped Akers on the helmet.

Akers was the hero. Akers had done it.

He had made a 63-yard field goal, tied for the longest in the history of the NFL. Akers had given the 49ers a nine-point lead over the Packers in Green Bay. And then the first half of the first game of the season ended.

This was the first defining moment of the 49ers’ season — there are five in all. At the time, it seemed to symbolize three simple things: